Signaling network monitoring systems are commonly used to capture signaling message data from nodes in a telecommunications network. Some network monitoring systems are implemented as cards or circuit boards that plug into the nodes that they monitor. Other systems include signaling link probes that copy signaling messages from SS7 signaling links. Still other network monitoring systems use a combination of internal and external message copy functions. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional signaling network monitoring system that signaling message copy functionality within a signaling message routing node, such as a signal transfer point. In FIG. 1, STP 100 includes an internal MSU copy function 102 that copies messages from SS7 signaling links. MSU copy function 102 copies signaling messages sent or received on SS7 signaling links and forwards them to network monitoring processors 104 via wired Ethernet 106. Network monitoring platform 104 stores and forwards the signaling message copies to one or more servers 108, 110, and 112. In the illustrated example, server 108 receives MSUs and formats the MSUs into CDRs and TDRs, as required by other applications. Server 110 may generate alarms based on security events detected from CDRs received from server 108. Server 112 may generate bills based on CDRs generated by server 108.
One problem with the system illustrated in FIG. 1 is that wired connections are required between MSU copy function 102, network monitoring platform 104, and servers 108, 110, and 112. Requiring wired connections between telecommunications network monitoring components is undesirable because installing physical wires in existing telecommunications facilities increases the time and expense required to provide network monitoring systems.
Another problem with conventional wire-based network monitoring systems that reside within a telecommunications network element is that such systems require a network interface card (NIC) in the telecommunications network element frame for every predetermined number of link cards being monitored. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, STP 100 may include many link interface modules, depending on the number of SS7 or IP signaling links that it serves. Each link interface module may include its own MSU copy function implemented in software on the link interface module. However, in order to connect to Ethernet 106, STP 100 includes a network monitoring transport card for every n link interface modules, where n is an integer that depends on the speeds of the links being monitored relative to the speed of the network monitoring LAN and the processing and storage capacity of the network monitoring transport card. As the number of link interface modules increases, the number of network monitoring transport cards must also increase. As a result, the design illustrated in FIG. 1 is not scalable.
Accordingly, in light of these difficulties associated with conventional network monitoring systems, there exists a need for improved methods and systems for transporting signaling message copies to a location where they can be processed.